Blog

At the OKC Zoo, Go Wild!

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is founded on the mission of connecting all people with wildlife and wild places. We believe in the power of community, connection and a world that thrives on diversity and co-existence. The Zoo is committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment for all who walk through our gates.
We stand against racism and strongly oppose the denial of safety, freedom and humanity to people of color. We are all on the same team – with a goal of creating...
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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is sad to report the passing of 41-year-old male American alligator, Bob.
Bob was a long-time guest-favorite at the Zoo, his home since 1978. He came to the Zoo from Tulsa Zoo when he was only about six weeks old.
During their morning head-checks on Friday, May 8, caretakers discovered Bob had passed overnight. A necropsy (animal autopsy) found a significant granuloma in Bob’s right lung that likely resulted from an long-term...
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Thursday, April 30, 2020

Photo Courtesy Chris McGovern
Sadie, 25, one of the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden’s adult female ostrich, was humanely euthanized on Sunday, April 26, 2020, at the Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital.
For the last week, Sadie had been under veterinary care for symptoms of decline including lethargy and a decreased appetite. Bloodwork from an initial vet exam indicated she had an infection which was causing inflammation and treatment included antibiotic and...
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Friday, March 13, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to welcome Christopher Hoffman, director of botanical garden, and Seamus Ehrhard, assistant curator of herpetology, to its leadership team. As director of botanical garden, Hoffman will oversee the Zoo’s 140-acres of flowering trees, forested groves, wildflower meadows and the state’s largest butterfly garden. He and his staff will also ensure the Zoo retains its high standards and accreditations through both the American...
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Friday, February 28, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is sad to announce that two white-tailed deer were humanely euthanized on Thursday, February 27.
Both had experienced arthritis-related mobility problems for over a year with veterinary teams applying medical therapy to improve quality of life. Recently, the medications failed to adequately control joint pain and discomfort leading to the difficult but necessary decision to humanely euthanize.
According to caretakers, female Tuesday never...
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Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Spring Break, only a few weeks away, is a great time for families to visit the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden and enjoy other outdoor activities. In fact, it’s frequently the biggest week of the year at the OKC Zoo – last year’s record-breaking attendance topped 93,000!
But when deciding to visit a zoo or other organization that hosts animals, it’s critical that Oklahomans select organizations accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), like the...
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Thursday, February 13, 2020

José Montalva is a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma and an instructor at East Central University. Montalva has studied the ecology, biology and taxonomy of native bees. This spring/summer, he and student researchers Landen Underwood and Mason Kicinski will conduct a bee research study at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. Here, he previews his work and shares why it's critical to learn more about Oklahoma's bees:
Bees are...
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Monday, February 10, 2020

How are your New Year’s resolutions holding up? Many people resolve in the new year to lose weight, eat healthier foods and exercise more. Often times those resolutions don’t hold up and end up abandoned. For animals at the OKC Zoo, resolutions are not needed - proper nutrition, activity level and body weight are top priorities all year long.
Maintaining proper body weight and nutrition is vital for overall health and longevity, both for our pets and the...
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Friday, February 7, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is saddened to announce that male, pygmy hippopotamus, Wolee, 45, was humanely euthanized on Friday, February 7, 2020.
Born in 1974, Wolee came to the OKC Zoo in 1999 from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and is the second-oldest pygmy hippo living in North American zoo populations accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The OKC Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams had been monitoring Wolee for end of life care. He was...
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Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Things change as the temperature dips! Caring for the Oklahoma City Zoo’s diverse animal collection (over 300 species!) through all the seasons requires caretakers to be familiar with their animals’ natural behaviors to make them comfortable year-round.
As an over-arching concept, animals can be found in “tropical” or “polar”, with “temperate” areas of the world in between the extremes. Those adapted to tropical areas are less naturally able to...
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Friday, January 31, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is home to four-year-old Grevy’s zebra, Zuberi. This International Zebra Day, January 31, the OKC Zoo is celebrating with a special Zuberi update, courtesy of his primary animal caretaker – Kendra Hard. But first – let’s talk about the Grevy’s zebra!
Native primarily to Ethiopia and Kenya, Grevy’s zebras are the largest and most endangered of the three species of zebra. Grevy’s are classified as...
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Thursday, January 30, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating Groundhog Day in a wild way – with help from 17-year-old grizzly bear brothers, Will and Wiley, who have been official Groundhog Day ambassadors for many years.
While the Zoo is not home to groundhogs – the notable furry face of this special day – it is home to two species of bears, including the grizzly bear and black bear.
Like groundhogs, bears are also in tune with weather changes, qualifying them as an...
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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Compared to animals in the wild, those in human care tend to live significantly longer lives, sometimes doubling life expectancy. This presents unique challenges to Zoo staff and requires innovations to ensure quality of life is maintained for senior animals.
Frequent issues faced by animals in their golden years are cataracts and dental problems. The Zoo’s veterinary staff are trained in oral health procedures like pulling teeth and have a number of specialists who consult...
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Friday, January 24, 2020

The Oklahoma City Zoo is sad to share that clouded leopard, Luke, was humanely euthanized Friday, January 24, after entering the final stages of chronic renal (kidney) failure. He came to the Zoo in December 2011 and would have turned 16 in February.
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the median life expectancy for clouded leopards is 13.1 years. Kidney disease is common in both domestic and wild felids.
Zoo veterinarians diagnosed Luke with kidney disease in August...
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Monday, January 13, 2020

A beloved member of the Oklahoma City Zoo’s animal family, Toba, a 52-year-old, female, Sumatran orangutan, was humanely euthanized on Saturday, January 11, 2020, at the Oklahoma City Zoo’s Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital.
Born in 1967 in Germany’s Nuremburg Zoo, Toba was the oldest zoo-born orangutan in the US and the third-oldest orangutan in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)–accredited North American zoo.
Toba had been under veterinary care for...
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Friday, January 10, 2020

Late last year, two clouded leopard cubs, eight-month-old male, J.D., and nine-month-old female, Rukai, joined the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden animal family . As soon as the carnivore care team received confirmation that the Zoo would become the duo’s new home, preparations for their arrival began at the Cat Forest habitat.
Native to Nepal and Bangladesh, clouded leopards are known as one of the best climbers in the felid family. The species’ flexible ankle joints,...
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Monday, January 6, 2020

Late this summer, caretakers observed female Asian elephant Asha, 24, demonstrating a “squinty” eye. This is not a common behavior and was initially treated with topical medication by Zoo veterinary staff. When the issue didn’t resolve after the initial round of treatment, teams determined it was time for an examination by an ophthalmologist.
When dealing with animal ocular issues like Asha’s, the Zoo consults Dr. Jonathan Pucket, a full-time veterinary...
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Monday, December 23, 2019

Two years ago, the Oklahoma City Zoo’s horticulture and behavioral departments teamed up to start an exciting process of silaging trees.
Silage is a process of fermenting high-moisture stored fodder, which can be fed to ruminants (animals that chew cud). It can also be made from field crops or, in our case, trees.
This process originated in the agricultural industry, but in zoos, we create our own silage process using trees that are grown on-grounds. Species include elm,...
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Thursday, December 5, 2019

Starting in 2017, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden partnered with the Painted Dog Research Trust (PDRT) to support its efforts to conserve the endangered African painted dog. Dr. Greg Rasmussen, PDRT founder and executive director, has worked for almost two decades protecting and studying the species, with populations totaling fewer than 7,000 in the wild.
An essential part of the Zoo’s ongoing commitment to the PDRT includes sending staff members to Zimbabwe annually to...
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Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Starting in 2017, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden partnered with the Painted Dog Research Trust (PDRT) to support its efforts to conserve the endangered African painted dog. Dr. Greg Rasmussen, PDRT founder and executive director, has worked for almost two decades protecting and studying the species, with populations totaling fewer than 7,000 in the wild.
An essential part of the Zoo’s ongoing commitment to the PDRT includes sending staff members to Zimbabwe annually to...
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Monday, November 25, 2019

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Go WILD this holiday season with an unforgettable gift from the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. With stocking stuffers starting at $2, gifts from the Zoo are available at all price levels and prove that going the extra mile to show someone you care doesn’t have to break the bank.
THOUGHTFUL GIFTS FOR MOM
Candle Garden Pot - From candle to flower garden, after the wax is burned...
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Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is less than three months away from the official opening of its new Galapagos tortoise habitat on Valentine’s Day 2020! Barring any unforeseen obstacles, the entire project will be completed in less than a year, proving less “slow and steady” than “efficient and well-planned”.
The state-of-the-art facility, located just inside the Zoo’s entry, will feature almost 9,000 square feet for the tortoises to roam....
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Friday, November 15, 2019

Henry, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden’s beloved 28-year-old Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, was humanely euthanized on Wednesday, November 13 at the Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital.
Veterinary and animal care teams had been closely monitoring Henry since late September when bloodwork from his annual wellness exam indicated kidney disease. Last Friday, caretakers noticed changes in his behavior including a decreased appetite and limited movement. The Zoo’s...
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Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is sad to announce the passing of 15-year-old female okapi, Caroli.
Late last month, caretakers alerted veterinary staff when Caroli stopped eating and was lethargic. The Zoo’s vet team administered an exam and found her bowels were not moving. This means that the intestines had no normal contractions, an abnormal condition in hoofstock. Unfortunately, the gastrointestinal issues worsened the next day and additional treatment was not...
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Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating National Veterinary Technician Week, October 13 through October 19, by profiling our hard-working animal health care staff, including Kaitlin Eagle, Veterinary Assistant.
How long have you worked at the Zoo?
I started with the Zoo in January, but I’ve been working in the veterinary field since 2011 and in the zoo field since 2015. I started with Cincinnati Zoo’s Wild Encounters department in 2015 and then...
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Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Lisbeth Pisias is a hoofstock caretaker at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. She works closely with the Zoo's okapi and has helped plan World Okapi Day.
The Zoo – which has cared for okapi since 1973 – is currently home to three females: Mali, 26, Caroli, 15 and Kayin, 3. Caroli is Kayin's mother! Each one has a distinct personality, but one thing they all have in common is they like a good ear rub. I will never forget the first time I saw an...
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Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating National Veterinary Technician Week, October 13 through October 19, by profiling our hard-working animal health care staff, including Stephanie Elliot, Veterinary Technician .
Stephanie, when Vet Tech Week arrived last year, you said seeing Kairavi (who just celebrated her first birthday) was your favorite memory. Has that changed this year?
I’m not sure anything will ever top the birth of an elephant!
What...
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Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating National Veterinary Technician Week, October 13 through October 19, by profiling our hard-working animal health care staff, including Mark Romanoski, Veterinary Technician.
Mark, when Vet Tech Week arrived last year, you had been at the Zoo for only four months, now that you have more than a full year of experience, what’s been the most surprising aspect of the job?
I was very surprised at how exciting it...
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Monday, October 14, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating National Veterinary Technician Week, October 13 through October 19, by profiling our hard-working animal health care staff, starting with Liz McCrae, Vet Clinic Coordinator.
Liz, congratulations on your recent promotion to veterinary clinic coordinator! Tell us a bit about your new role and how you are settling into it after three months?
My new role on the veterinary team is an exciting new endeavor and I am...
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Thursday, October 10, 2019

Stephany Hernandez, OKC Zoo herpetology caretaker, recently returned from a conservation journey to Guatemala. These are her notes from the field:
Hi, I’m Stephany Hernandez, an animal caretaker for the herpetology department at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. My typical day starts with a visual health check of our reptiles. Depending on the day, we then might distribute salads or clean habitats. In the afternoon, we conduct a variety of husbandry tasks from bedding...
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Thursday, October 3, 2019

You may remember Merry the American flamingo whose treatment story appeared on social media earlier this year.
After Merry's caretakers observed that she wasn’t using her right leg, she was transported to the Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital. During her exam, the vet team noticed swelling in her leg, so she was prescribed 'stall rest'. In the meantime, she received regular therapeutic laser therapy on her leg to accelerate the healing process while under...
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Friday, September 27, 2019

You won’t need a Mr. Meeseeks to make the perfect Date Night a reality. After a successful introduction in June, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the return of Date Night on Monday, October 14, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
The Zoo will be open exclusively for adults 21-and-older to explore, enjoying the beautiful Oklahoma fall with a multitude of activity options, including a special appearance by the Rickmobile, making...
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Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Katie Van Singel, OKC Zoo pachyderm caretaker, recently returned from a conservation journey to Indonesia. These are her notes from the field:
I am a primary caretaker for the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden's three Indian rhinos Arun, Niki, and Shanti. I never imagined that I would get the chance to go and see native habitat for any of the five rhino species in the world, but this July, my coworker Amy Mathews and I went on the trip of a lifetime.
Amy and I...
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019

When a largemouth bass arrived at the Oklahoma City Zoo's earlier this year, caretakers noticed the fish had a small piece missing from its left operculum - a hard cover that protects its gills and gill arches.
Since it was broken, this exposed its gills and gill arches to cohabitants and when injuries are visible to other fish, that often makes the injured party an easy target.
When caretakers noticed a gill arch was hanging down abnormally, the bass was...
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Amy Mathews, OKC Zoo lead elephant caretaker, recently returned from a conservation journey to Indonesia. These are her notes from the field:
In July, fellow pachyderm caretaker Katie Van Singel and I traveled to Indonesia to learn more about the various rhino conservation initiatives sponsored by one of the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden’s legacy conservation partners, the International Rhino Foundation . While abroad, Katie and I were fortunate enough to meet with...
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Tuesday, September 3, 2019

McKinly Dortch is a senior Environmental Science major at Oklahoma State University. This summer, she served as the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden's sustainability intern. She documented efforts to help remove plastic waste and other debris from Zoo Lake.
For the second time this year, OKC Zoo employees came together to clean the debris, much of it single-use plastic, out of Northeast Lake (also known as Zoo Lake). The housekeeping team led the lake clean-up and many...
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Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden was recently designated a Family Positive Workplace for its family-friendly internal policies by the Oklahoma-based Potts Family Foundation.
Only 32 organizations from across the state earned this designation during the second annual Family Positive Workplace Awards Ceremony in early August.
“The OKC Zoo is thrilled to be recognized as a family-positive workplace,” said Tammy Burnett, OKC Zoo director of human...
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Monday, August 26, 2019

McKinley Dortch is a senior Environmental Science major at Oklahoma State University. This summer, she served as the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden's sustainability intern. Dortch documented her work assisting in internal waste audits.
Growing up in Edmond, some of my favorite memories were playing in creeks and being in nature. Fast forward to college I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I kept coming back to wanting to do something for the environment. There are...
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Friday, August 23, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to welcome Rochelle Wilhelm, director of guest experiences/events and Roby Elsner, curator of primates. The Zoo is also happy to announce the promotion of Tracey Dolphin-Drees to curator of hoofstock. Wilhelm will oversee all Guest Experience departmental operations including admissions, rides/attractions, group sales and events. As curators, Elsner and Dolphin-Drees will ensure the health and welfare of their respective animals, manage...
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Wednesday, August 14, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is partnering with the Sam Noble Museum at the University of Oklahoma to help save one of the state’s most iconic species: the horny toad. Formally known as the Texas horned lizard, this species – once a common sight across much of the state – has become increasingly rare as its habitat has been lost and fragmented due to urbanization and other factors. A National Science Foundation-funded study underway at the OKC...
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Tuesday, August 6, 2019

The OKC Zoo is celebrating World Elephant Day on Sunday, August 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Presented by Bob Moore Subaru, Zoo guests are invited come together for elephants and enjoy a day of fun and learning with games, crafts, bio-facts and other activities on-site at the Zoo’s Sanctuary Asia elephant habitat and entry plaza. For this special day, the elephant caretakers from Sanctuary Asia share their favorite memories about one of the Zoo's seven Asian elephants...
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Friday, July 26, 2019

During this year’s National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW), the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is expressing its appreciation for all of its hardworking animal caretakers and highlighting six exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for its animal family.
NZKW focuses on the need to protect and preserve our wildlife and vanishing habitats via conservation messages created by zoos and aquariums, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Animal...
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Friday, July 26, 2019

During this year’s National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW), the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is expressing its appreciation for all of its hardworking animal caretakers and highlighting six exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for its animal family.
NZKW focuses on the need to protect and preserve our wildlife and vanishing habitats via conservation messages created by zoos and aquariums, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Animal...
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Thursday, July 25, 2019

During this year’s National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW), the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is expressing its appreciation for all of its hardworking animal caretakers and highlighting six exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for its animal family.
NZKW focuses on the need to protect and preserve our wildlife and vanishing habitats via conservation messages created by zoos and aquariums, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Animal...
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Wednesday, July 24, 2019

During this year’s National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW), the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is expressing its appreciation for all of its hardworking animal caretakers and highlighting six exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for its animal family.
NZKW focuses on the need to protect and preserve our wildlife and vanishing habitats via conservation messages created by zoos and aquariums, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums....
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Tuesday, July 23, 2019

During this year’s National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW), the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is expressing its appreciation for all of its hardworking animal caretakers and highlighting six exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for its animal family.
NZKW focuses on the need to protect and preserve our wildlife and vanishing habitats via conservation messages created by zoos and aquariums, accredited...
Read More

Monday, July 22, 2019

During this year’s National Zoo Keeper Week (NZKW), the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is expressing its appreciation for all of its hardworking animal caretakers and highlighting six exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for its animal family.
NZKW focuses on the need to protect and preserve our wildlife and vanishing habitats via conservation messages created by zoos and aquariums,...
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Tuesday, July 16, 2019

As the result of a debilitating spinal condition and associated loss of mobility, African lioness Tia, 19, was humanely euthanized at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden on Saturday, July 13, at approximately 10 a.m.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) reports the median life expectancy for African lions in human care is 16.9 years. The life expectancy for the species in the wild is between 10 and 14 years.
In addition to typical age-related ailments...
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Monday, July 15, 2019

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden has teamed up with Stephenson Cancer Center to provide five free sunscreen dispensers to visitors through this Labor Day, Monday, September 2. The bright yellow sunscreen dispensers provide UVA-UVB sunscreen with SPF 30 which helps protect skin from the harmful effects of the sun, including skin cancers like melanoma.
The five dispensers are located in the men’s and women’s restrooms in the entry plaza, the men’s and...
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Friday, July 5, 2019

Leading up to World Chimp Day on Sunday, July 14, meet the seven chimpanzees that call the OKC Zoo home: Mwami, Kito, Cindy, Kirsty, Zoe, Ruben, and Siri. Guests may attend a keeper chat at 1:30 p.m. each day at the outdoor or indoor Great EscApe chimpanzee habitat.
Mwami
The dominant male of the group, 30-year-old Mwami is the largest of the seven chimpanzees. Chimpanzees are very social animals and have a hierarchy, a social order, maintained among them. As such, Mwami may be...
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